Public approval of Stalin highest for 16 years

Sociologists have reported that “public approval of Stalin’s activities has reached its highest point in 16 years” among Russians surveyed in the provinces.

In January 2017, 46% of Russians surveyed approved of the dictator’s activities, reports RBK, citing the results of the survey carried out by the Levada Centre.

In March 2016, 37% of those questioned regarded Stalin with “admiration”, “respect” and “affection”.

At the same time, Dozhd notes that the number of respondents who have a negative view of his activities has increased by 4% to 21% compared with 2016.

According to Aleksei Grazhdankin, deputy director of the Levada Centre, the positive attitude of Russians towards Stalin is related to the fact that they associate him with order in the country. “The worse the situation in the country and the more challenges being faced by the state, the more a need for leaders with a hard-line position takes hold in the public consciousness,” noted Grazhdankin.

According to those questioned, their top three leaders also included Leonid Brezhnev and Vladimir Putin.